Disclaimer: you know the drill, Harry Potter is not mine
A/N: It snowed all day and four of my favorite fanfic stories updated, so I figured I might as well too. I thought this would be an easy chapter to write, but it wasn't. Some of these parts I completely rewrote a few times until I was satisfied. And now I just want to post the chapter b/c I've reread it too many times. So Enjoy!
"One snitch, two snitch, red snitch, blue snitch," Peter murmured under his breath as he shifted from his right leg to his left leg.
What was taking James so long?
James had realized a few moments ago that he had left his book in the History of Magic and had gone to retrieve it.
As soon as James disappeared Peter swore the hall grew darker and the three candles in the elaborately decorated candle holder were definitely flickering more than usual.
His mum had always said he had to learn to curb his overactive imagination.
Peter began to wish that he hadn't acted bravely by telling James he'd be okay alone until he returned.
Then again looking scared in front of James, just wasn't an option especially since to Peter he seemed the perfect model of a true Gryffindor.
And Peter desperately wanted to prove his true Gryffindor spirit.
Peter glanced nervously around him. The pipes in the wall creaked and grumbled. The hallway came to life and then sudden silence.
There's nothing there! Get a grip!
He closed his eyes relaxing his body slowly when he head voices coming around the corner. Three figures, the first one was clearly Severus Snape. Peter didn't bother trying to identify the other two figures. He had already seen what Snape could do with his wand and that was enough for Peter to realize for his safety it was best he remain hidden.
Luck was on his side, they hadn't seen him yet. He side stepped into the shadows and quickly hid behind the armor. He felt a trickle of sweat fall on his burning skin and he leaned on the wall behind him.
Suddenly the wall was there and then it was gone! He felt himself fall backward, falling ungracefully onto the floor of a room. The wall closed as quickly as it had opened.
As his eyes adjusted to the darkness, he noticed it wasn't just a room, but a room leading to a tunnel which must lead to somewhere…
Moving toward the wall, he gave it a hard push to see if it would budge. His luck had quickly turned for the worst. What if he starved to death?
He froze when he heard the conversation in the hallway – apparently James had returned.
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James held his book loosely in his hand as he quickly walked back to where Peter was waiting for him. Peter had surprised him when he offered to wait alone in the hallway. That specific hallway had always made James a little nervous and Peter from what James had noticed became scared quite easily.
James wasn't sure why the hall made him nervous, it was a well-used and well-lit hallway.
When James came across Snape, Avery, and some other bloke, he knew there was going to be trouble and all thoughts about the source of his hallway nervousness vanished.
"Where's Peter? What did you do to him?" James growled walking straight up to Snape so he was only centimeters from his pale face.
"I don't know what you are babbling on about Potter! We haven't seen Pettigrew anywhere!" Snape's voice was cool and detached, almost as if he was telling the truth.
But Peter was gone, evil Slytherins were present which could only mean one thing…
"This is where I left him. What did you do to him?"
"If you can't keep track of your friends, I suggest you put a leash on them."
Avery smirked, his light blue eyes icy with menace, "In all honesty, Potter, if I had done something to your plump friend, I'd be bragging about it. Shame really that he is missing…"
"If you did anything to him…" James continued brandishing his wand in hopes to make them understand he was serious.
Snape smiled raising his wand as well, his hands itching in excitement of dueling Potter. Avery and Nott stepped back only staying to watch the show.
Two Hufflepuffs, a few years above them, appeared and one of them casually said, "Two teachers are heading this way, I'd pocket those wands if I was you."
Snape was the first to lower his wand and James reluctantly followed suit. Snape made a show of straightening his robes, "Don't worry, we'll finish this later, Potter," he said snidely before walking away.
The two teachers, York and Sprout, greeted James and he tried to look as least suspicious as possible.
When James was again alone in the corridor, he realized he hadn't solved the mystery of Peter's disappearance and it wasn't like Peter to vanish. It didn't make sense.
He jumped when he heard soft knocking sound coming from inside the wall by the armor.
It continued this time louder and more desperate, well as desperate as a non-descript sound could be.
"Hello?" James asked uncertainly feeling a bit stupid to be talking to a wall.
The knocking stopped abruptly.
"Is anyone there?"
"James?"
"Peter? Where are you?"
"Errr- I think inside the wall."
"What are you doing in there?"
"Having a tea party! I fell through, I was trying to hide when I saw Snape, guess I succeeded…now no one can see me."
"Can you get out?"
"The wall won't budge and there's a tunnel, but I don't know where it leads."
"Hold on. Where exactly did you fall in?"
"Behind the armor, I just leaned a bit…and well I found myself here."
James pushed the wall and it slid open. The room was very dusty as if no one had used it in a while. Peter scurried out, "Good thing I'm not claustrophobic."
James eyed the tunnel his imagination going wild about the possibilities of where it could lead to. He sighed and then let the wall close.
"Peter do you understand what you just found?" James asked excitedly.
Peter shrugged not understanding what had caught James's attention. He was just glad he had escaped alive.
"A secret passage! Who knows where it could lead to...we have to come back to explore it. Don't tell anyone about this."
"Why not?"
"I guess Remus and maybe Sirius, but not Cory, he might let it slip to Evans and she might tell a teacher. And what's the fun of knowing a secret passage if it's known to everyone, especially a teacher."
Peter nodded unsurely, but ecstatic that he'd found something that seemed very important to James.
As Peter and James returned to the Gryffindor tower, they found most of their year around a table where Sirius was playing chess against Andriana. She was winning, hence the increasing scowl on Sirius's face. A pile of beat up pawns surrounded the chess board.
"Check mate!" she exclaimed triumphantly making her next move. All the girls giggled as Sirius admitted defeat and grudgingly congratulated her.
Amber headed over toward the group of first years, glad for the first time this year they were all getting along. Cory took Sirius's place proclaiming that he would be the first to beat her. Apparently she'd won the last four games that afternoon.
"Hey if anyone is staying over Christmas break, make sure you sign this sheet and then hand it back to me."
She handed it to Kaitlyn's outstretched hand and she scribbled her name down, Sirius was next to sign it, and Remus was the last, handing it back to Amber with a grin.
"I have some homework to do," Sirius mumbled heading upstairs, the girls waved and James followed him. James walked into their room awkwardly to find Sirius gazing outside the window.
Before James could build up the nerve to say something…
"It's not like I wanted to go home, I'd much rather stay here."
"So they really won't let you come home?"
"I don't know. They haven't written to say plans have changed since the…well you know…Anyway I'd have much more fun here any day. Trust me…"
"Well Remus will keep you company. I'd stay myself, but my mother finds these holidays are very important times for family togetherness. I'll be sick of them by the end of the week I'm sure of it."
"I wouldn't want you staying here because of me…just because my family hates me…I wouldn't want you to suffer."
James scoffed, "I doubt staying at Hogwarts over break would be considered suffering and don't kid yourself, I'd be staying more to keep Remus company than you. The poor boy having only your brooding self to keep him entertained," James said, the glint in his hazel eyes betraying his serious tone.
"Right! Do you really believe that you can come up with more entertaining activities than I can?"
"Off course! You know lying to yourself isn't healthy. And I just found something that could definitely be considered under that category."
"Are you going to tell me or do I have to beg?"
"As much as I'd like to see you beg, I'll tell you free of charge. I found a secret passage that I doubt anyone has laid eyes on for years."
"How can you be sure no one knows about it?"
"Trust me; you should have seen all the dust and cobwebs."
"Where does it lead to?"
"We haven't followed it yet."
"We?"
"Peter and I, but he didn't seem too thrilled on exploring it."
"Yea well he doesn't strike me as the adventurous type. I bet the passage will lead to some random boring room in the dungeons that used to hold old textbooks or something."
"Only one way to find out for sure. So are you up to exploring it?"
"I guess, right now?"
"No too many teachers and Prefects on the loose – w should do it on a weekend- Hogsmeadeweekend would be the best since most of the school will be gone."
"Or under the cover of darkness?"
"Now you're thinking," James grinned and they began the preliminary planning of their first adventure.
They told Remus about their plans, but he wasn't very enthusiastic. The chance of getting caught or lost outweighed his sense of adventure. Between Remus's constant lectures about being cautious and the piling up of homework, Sirius and James were unable to put their plans into action.
Suddenly the first half of the school was over and James and Peter were packing their trunks. Before they knew it they were waving goodbye and the train was taking them back to Platform 9 and ¾.
James pulled his trunk along with Peter ahead scanning the crowd.
"There's my mum and dad. Come meet them James."
A woman with the same wispy blond hair Peter had gave him a hug. The man beside her had dark hair and dark eyes, quite the opposite of his young son. He looked like a man who knew what he wanted and would go through any means to achieve it. He said politely hello to them and though Mrs. Pettigrew had a friendly demeanor, Mr. Pettigrew was making him uncomfortable by his stares.
"James, dear. Over here." He spotted his Aunt, Frederick's mother calling him clad in a red robes.
He quickly said goodbye to Peter and headed over.
"Your parents can't make it. There was an emergency at work and your mother has been feeling a bit peakish."
"Mum's sick?" James asked worriedly. His parents never got sick, they were practically invincible.
"Now don't fret, James. A bit of bed rest is all she needs. We really must be going before my other two children wreck the whole house. I left them under care of the house-elves."
She cast a levitating charm on his truck. As soon as they entered the house, her other two children, a ten year old boy and a seven year old girl came bounding down the stairs.
Frederick ignored his two younger siblings and proceeded to go into his room and lock the door.
Jacob and Christine attacked him with questions about school. Jacob would be starting Hogwarts next term and he wanted to know everything. James doubted he would be a Gryffindor, already he'd read more books than most adults had, he would most likely be a Ravenclaw.
The house-elves prepared them a grand lunch. James would have rather went straight home, but when he smelled the food and remembered his manners he couldn't resist.
After lunch, his Aunt came up with a great distraction. She had an older son who now lived alone, who used to play Quidditch. She allowed James and Jacob to ride in the backyard using two of his old broomsticks.
James now thirsty headed toward the kitchen for a glass of water. As he pushed the swinging door open, he recognized the new voice.
"DAD!" James cried rushing into his fathers arms.
"James! How are you?" his father said hugging his son tightly.
After the initial excitement, James noticed his father's voice was strained and tired. His good mood seemed a facade.
James noted his father was dressed in midnight blue robes with twelve golden fastenings in the front. An intricate pattern woven with silver thread lined the robes. A silver silhouette of a phoenix was embroidered on his left side.
Enough aurors had come to his house for James to know that this was their uniform, unless of course they were doing undercover work. The questions was why his father was dressed like this when he only dealt with the behind the scene operations.
"We better head home James, before your mother starts to worry. Where are your things?"
Once home he sensed his father relaxing more.
"Your mother should be in the pallor, lets surprise her, shall we?"
James grinned, now this was more like the father he'd remembered.
James was about to burst into the pallor when his father quickly stepped in front of him and knocked, "Is everything clear?"
"Yes, come in."
His father motioned James forward into the room. James frowned, since when did you announce to someone a surprise visit?
His mother looked a bit tired, but she was not dressed as if she'd been in bed all day long. She was wearing one of her nicer robes.
"I thought you were sick?" James asked. He wasn't accustomed to the idea of his parents lying to him.
"It's a miracle, I feel one hundred percent again. Come here, let him see how you've grown."
James allowed his mother to hug and kiss him gently.
"Look at you. I've been worried that you haven't been eating enough at Hogwarts."
"Oh Mum," James rolled his eyes, "You could never starve at Hogwarts. The foods the best I've ever tasted."
"Don't you remember my dear wife or was it that long ago when we were at Hogwarts together?"
His mother smiled warmly at her husband then turned back to her only son, "It's been a few weeks since I've gotten an owl from McGonagall. Now there are two possibilities, either your behaving yourself or you are no longer getting caught."
His father chuckled and ruffled James's hair, "That's my boy."
"Are you getting along with the other students in your year?"
"Sirius and I have been getting on better," James said off handedly.
"The Black boy?" his father asked.
"Yea, he's completely different than I'd thought. His family actually hates him."
"Now James, I hardly doubt that…" his mother said quietly.
"He said so himself and all because he's in Gryffindor. Can you believe it?"
"It's been a shock for the whole community. I cannot imagine a boy raised in that sort of environment to come out decent."
"Now Richard," his mother scolded, "I think it's great you and Sirius have gotten over the bad blood between our two families. It's about time I say."
"The Blacks are a treacherous breed, James. Please be careful in putting trust in any Black."
"It's not right to judge someone according to their family. We shouldn't be teaching our son double standards. All people, muggle-born, half-blood or pureblood should be judged by their choices, Richard and you know that."
"James, I think you should go unpack your things and then we'll all play one of those muggle board games in a little while."
James tried to protest, but his parents wouldn't give in. So he exited the pallor, closing the door and then stood with his ear against the door. James wanted to hear exactly where his mother and father stood when it came to the Blacks.
His father's voice was quickly rising, "We shouldn't lie to him. I've dealt with the Blacks since Hogwarts days..."
"He's only eleven years old. I don't think he should be worrying about matters of the blood so soon."
"The sooner he understands the better, a dark force is slowly rising Arielle and I don't think any of us can stop it."
"Let him be a child just a bit longer. If what you say is true, then he will be forced to grow up soon enough. And by telling James it is wrong for him to be friendly with Sirius, wouldn't it undermine what we've been trying to teach him about tolerance. And that includes tolerance of the offspring of your enemies."
"I know, I know, but I can't help but worry…"
"All I ask of you is to let James make up his mind about Sirius Black, you know how he looks up to you. Please do not say anything bad about the Blacks…"
James heard no more.
"Master James! You shouldn't be eavesdropping."
"Tiddy, you've scared me half to death."
The house-elf stared straight at him, and then broke into a grin, "Good to have you home, Master James. The house has been too quiet since you've been gone."
"I've missed you too, Tiddy."
"Now off with you, some things are not for young ears."
James had always liked their house elf, their other one had died a few years back and they hadn't replaced it yet, but she tended to act as if she had some authority over him.
In fairness his parents trusted Tiddy and had given her authority, but James still felt two parents were enough.
James walked up the stairs to his room on the third floor. He breathed in the familiar smell, but it looked very empty. Most of his posters were still on the walls by his bed at Hogwarts. His trunk was placed at the foot of his bed and he began to slowly unpack his things.
His mother and father came to fetch him a bit later.
"There he is. It's been so quiet, we were afraid you had skipped town," his father joked.
"It's strange to be back here…"
"So what game will it be?" his mother asked.
"Checkers?" his father offered.
"That's a two player game," James pointed out.
"Why don't we do a puzzle?" his mother asked. Ever since his father had brought home a puzzle to show them both, his mother had been addicted. She would always enchant the picture after she was done so that it would move like wizard paintings and photos.
"That doesn't count as a real game!" James said shaking his head sadly at his parent's antics.
"How about Monopoly?" James said suddenly. Last time they had played, his parents had enchanted all the pieces, even the buildings which made the game more interesting. The money was the funniest because it was enchanted to insult you ever time you bought something or had to pay a fine.
"I don't know, those games can last forever," his mother said.
"But you haven't seen me for months," James countered trying to look like a neglected child.
"Alright, alright," his mother said laughing. And the three of them settled in the living room for a game of good old fashioned Monopoly – well sort of.
The next few days turned out to be a whirlwind of activity. Family, friends, work acquaintances came and went. Their family was popular and with the popularity came a host of responsibilities. They had guests for lunch, afternoon tea, dinner, and even late night snacks.
----------------
Back at Hogwarts…
In order to give the twelve students staying over at Hogwarts something to do, the faculty had them all help decorate the hall to make it more festive.
Kaitlyn Walker was assigned with Sirius to cut out paper snowflakes and other objects.
Sirius decided to break the silence after he had cut out a dozen or so shapes.
"So did your parents abandon you like mine did?"
"My parents are dead."
"I wish half my family would disappear."
Kaitlyn looked at him as if he were crazy. "I don't remember them at all."
"Well aren't you lucky," Sirius said dryly.
"Lucky? I'm an orphan and though I can't complain about my foster family, they weren't too keen about this whole magic thing, which is partly why I decided it was best to wait until summer before burdening them again."
"Muggle-born then?" Sirius asked.
"Yes, are you going to request to work with someone else now?"
"No," Sirius said matching the coldness in her voice.
"Ok then. Look I heard the Howler like everyone else, though I didn't know they even existed until then."
"Don't…"
"So I can understand that your hatred for your family runs deep, but I'd still give anything to meet even for a few hours someone I'm related to."
"Hate is a rather strong word, wouldn't you say? I just want things different…"
"Don't we all wish things could be different? If my foster parents taught me one thing, things happen for a reason. So I don't feel sorry for you because you aren't the only one with problems and there are plenty of people worse off than you."
Kaitlyn's face was completely flushed as she stood up and left the Great Hall with ferocity in her step he'd never seen in her before.
His mind was reeling with thought.
He hadn't asked her to feel sorry for him.
He ripped the snowflake he'd been working on, shredding it to pieces.
---------------
Frederick and his family came over for an early Christmas celebration, since there were going to be away in Sweden to visit the husband's side of the family. As James noticed the growing number of presents under the tree, his relatives hugging, patting him, wishing him good luck in school, his mind drifted to Sirius Black.
His family hated him and he was alone at Hogwarts. Remus was there, but Remus said his parents were picking him up for a few days, which meant they still cared for him.
That next morning his mother was fussing around in the kitchen. She was making her special apple pancakes as a treat for James.
"Mum, I've been thinking…"
"About what?"
"You have to go to Hogsmeade later on today, right?"
"Yes, James, but I have so much to do, you couldn't possibly join me."
"I wanted to buy Sirius something…"
His mother suddenly turned toward him, "Sirius? Sirius Black?"
"He's staying at Hogwarts over Christmas and I doubt he'll receive many gifts. You should have heard the Howler they sent him Mum."
His mother suddenly smiled brightly, "That's an excellent idea, James. I'll stop at Honeydukesto buy some candy."
"Can you buy some for my other roommate Remus Lupin too?"
"Alright, I'll make sure to buy enough for two."
"Thanks Mum. You're the best."
"Oh I know, dear. I know. Now go get ready, your father has a whole day of male bonding planned. Just make sure both of you come back with all your limbs."
----------------
Remus glanced at his pocket calendar; it was one day before Christmas. His parents were going to take him out for the day, spend Christmas Eve and Christmas day with them and the next day he'd be brought back here where he would transform.
"Where are you going?" Sirius asked. Sirius was on his stomach on the floor sorting through his Chocolate Frog Collection.
"Didn't I tell you?"
"No."
"Well my parents are picking me up for a few days and then I'll be dropped off again."
Sirius eyed him curiously, "Both your parents, so that means your mum is feeling better?"
Remus was glad Sirius couldn't see his face. Sirius was too sharp for his own good. He now had to watch for both James and Sirius with their endless questions.
"Sorry I meant just my father."
"Why can't you spend the whole holiday with them?"
"They travel around a lot."
"How can they travel so much if your mother is so sick?"
"Well they have been traveling around hoping to find a cure for my mum's illness. They keep finding doctors who swear they have a cure." This was half true.
"What disease did you say she had again?"
"I never said."
"So you won't tell me?"
"No. Some things are best left unknown. Happy Christmas, Sirius."
"Happy Christmas," Sirius returned, but his expression was one of determination.
Remus could read exactly what Sirius was thinking. His eyes spoke volumes. I'll figure out your secret eventually.
Remus shivered involuntarily as he walked to Dumbledore's office where his parents would pick him.
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Miles away from Hogwarts James was playing with some of his presents in his room.
His father appeared in the doorway.
"I heard you sent Sirius Black a present."
"Are you mad at me?" James asked.
"No, not mad. Feuding with the Blacks, certainly hasn't done much good, so maybe through friendship your generation will achieve something."
James grinned and noticed his father was holding something, "What do you have there?"
"I have one more surprise for you," he said his eyes sparkling as if he was eleven years old again. "This has been in the family for years and was handed down to me from my father the Christmas of my first year."
His father handed him a plain old wooden box and James carefully opened it. Inside was some sort of slivery material.
"Is this…" James couldn't finish the sentence not believing it.
"This should make your stay at Hogwarts a bit more interesting. I sure had fun with it, but don't tell your mother I gave it to you."
"Does she know you have it?" James asked.
"Yes, but she didn't want to give it to you until you were more mature and though I agree, I'm not about to change the tradition."
"Did you use this to find secret passages?" James asked his eyes wild with excitement.
"We found a few. I used it more when I go older. Now I suggest putting it at the bottom of your trunk so your mother doesn't see it. And please take very good care of it; I don't want to find it full of rips and tears."
James stroked the silky material and carefully closed the lid. He gave his father a hug.
"Thank you!"
------------
On Christmas day, Sirius walked down to the Common Room early.
He found a few gifts addressed to him and opened the gift from his parents first.
There was a heavy box carved from stone. On the top was the family Black Crest. Toujours pur outlined the box like a border. The four sides were blank, but the box itself was made of a beautiful marble.
Sirius stared at it for a brief moment. He was hesitant about accepting another family heirloom from his parents.
As he opened the lid of the box, a circular bubble, orb-like shinning with light rose to his eye level.
Words written in script began to flash in the orb.
Remember who you are
Toujours Pur
Always Pure
Part of the Most Noble and Ancient of Black
The bubble burst and it splashed the words: REMEMBER WHO YOU ARE on the inside of the lid.
He knew he would never forget what his family wanted him to be. The question now was who did he want to be?
Sirius picked up the first item in the box. It was a small notebook, which was odd in itself. He remembered his parents telling him to never write down any secrets and desires because there was the chance that someone could find it and use it against you.
When you belong to a family like the Blacks, it was expected to receive blackmail.
Inside the book was a note from Regulus.
I wish you were here with us, Sirius, but mum says you've been bad and you need to think about your actions. I'm scared for you Sirius, I heard father talking and he said it was too late to bring you back to us. I bought this book for you, but mother says not to write anything important in it and not to lose it. I drew a picture for you and I really hope when I get sorted we will be in Slytherin together.
Sirius hadn't noticed the picture before. It was a child's drawing, but the message was clear. It was on the second page and it showed Sirius grinning clad in the Slytherin robes, with his arm around his brother also in Slytherin robes. And in the background was the Slytherin crest.
Sirius felt his stomach drop. His parents were striking low using his little brother to make him feel ashamed. He couldn't help but worry for Regulus, but ever since he was little he ate up anything and everything his parents said. And Sirius was slowly realizing how many of these facts were lies…
The second item in the box appeared to be some sort of dark evergreen cloth. Sirius opened it up to reveal a miniature version of the family tree that was hung up in their house.
A note was attached to this as well.
Hang this up over your bed, so you remember each morning the type of people you are related to. It will also serve to remind your roommates, blood traitors all of them, except for Pettigrew, but that family will never be in the same social circles as the Blacks. You cannot escape your destiny.
Under each persons name was the house they were in. Almost everyone, except for four people had been sorted into Slytherin. The other four were in Ravenclaw. Then four generations ago, there were two spots that had been erased. He knew in the original version, instead of blank spots, stood burnt marks.
Stains of dishonor.
Sirius wondered if either of these two people had been sorted into Gryffindor.
"What have you got there?" a female voice inquired and Kaitlyn stood behind him her arms crossed.
"Nothing," Sirius said quickly folding it up and placing all the contents back into the box.
Kaitlyn shrugged and headed over to the pile of gifts.
"There's one more here for you. It's addressed to Lupin as well."
Sirius picked up a rather large box and saw it was from the Potter family.
He ripped it open assuming Remus wouldn't mind and inside was every kind of candy imaginable.
Sirius read the note.
Sirius and Remus,
This is a little something from my parents and me. Save some it for me when I get back to Hogwarts. Happy Christmas!
Your friend,
James
Sirius stared at it and then reread it again. The fact that the Potters, knowing he was a Black still bought this filled Sirius with a strange emotion. In his family everything was done for some alterative motive. Regulus and Sirius only received presents so his parents could brag about the purchases to other families.
Sirius had learned to search in every good gesture some type of alterative motive. He couldn't see any in this gift, except that James had told his parents about his friendship with a Black and they apparently approved enough to allow him to send this.
He glanced back at the stone box, with the notes about blood, family, and destiny. What would James think if he saw the box or the family tree or even read one of the notes? Sirius admitted to himself he was more worried about staying on James's good side, than caring about what his parents thought.
And the Potters, for all their blood-traitor tendencies, had sent him a better gift than his own family.
Sirius knew what he had to do.
He opened the box one last time, ripping out the picture Regulus had drawn and stuffing it into his robe pocket.
He picked up the stray wrapping paper and rewrapped the stone box quickly. He stood up and was out in the hall in a matter of seconds. He heard Kaitlyn calling out to him, but he didn't slow down until he was tying the package to the leg of a school owl.
He watched the owl fly away from the school toward his house, carrying the last note of the day.
He could picture Kretcher taking the package from the school owl. Walking with that strange gait into his mothers study and handing it to her. Sirius could see his mother reading the words:
I cannot accept this - Sirius
His mother's face would contort with rage. She would throw the package down and it would hit with such a force that his brother would come to investigate the noise.
He glanced around warily feeling strangely uplifted. His mother had written he couldn't escape his destiny, but that didn't mean he could change it.
A/N: Thanks for reading and please review!
EsScaper: Yea I agree about everyone always makes Gryffindor win in their stories. About Sirius being able to control his temper, it was something he was taught and he's still battling between being "controlled" like Slytherins and being more "brash" like Gryffindors and this was one incident where his parents teachings won. Severus is definitely an interesting character, I can't say I really like him as person, but he is a very complex character and I believe he did risk a lot to spy for Dumbledore and that is admirable for whatever reason he choose to switch sides.
brennqt14: I'm glad you like the way their friendship is evolving. And Lily will become more likable in James's eye as time passes, but for now he finds her just as annoying as she does him
dweem-angel: Well I'm happy to see your reading my story again!
kyLaaa: yea Peter was their one of their best friends, if he was just a tag-a-long the betrayal wouldn't have been such a shock. Thank you
Katharina-B: Thanks for adding me to your author alert! I am going to cover second year, but after that, I'll probably skip a few years in between, but I'm not completely certain.
koriaena: fifth book was the first glimpse we saw of Lily during her Hogwarts years, so I'm happy you like how I've interpreted her character
moony391: lol I've logged on late at night to read other people's stories I really love, so it's great to hear that other people do the same thing. I'll try and update as quickly as possible
kyla: thanks for reading!
magiclover53: yea my Christmas break wasn't that exciting either and thanks for reading and off course reviewing.
Jeanne2: I don't think Snape is bad person, just not the most likable. It feels great to hear people praise my writing.
Irish Anor: yea I wasn't sure how exactly to make James-Snape feud begin, but the way I did it seems to have worked…and things are getting better for Sirius now that he has some friends
GROUND: funny you should mention to include James's father, since this chapter I planned to show a bit about James's home life. I'm always happy to accept suggestions
Viresse Lote: I can definitely relate to trying to get inspired to update, lol. It might be a good idea to take a break, maybe it will help inspire you or just try to force yourself to write, I really don't know. So did you go see POA in IMAX? If you did, how was it?
z'yiandria: LOL, sorry for corrupting you, I've found the same thing reading other people's stories. Don't worry, the pranks will get more complex!
elvengirl9: Yea I read your fic on peter, but I think it was awhile ago…that's cool your traveling during winter break (wish I could), my break was very boring…ooo an internet café, never been in one of those before and sorry about the grammar mistakes, I try my best to find them all, but they are tricky little devils
Inferno Elf: You're welcome!
Pixelfish: Thanks for reading, I appreciate it!
Incredible indulgence: thanks, exams went well!